Irrigation gate



Nov. 10, 1931. w. M. HARwooD IRRIGATION GATE Filed April 5. 1929 Kim 4. M Nagai-lfb?? Patented Nov. 10, `1931 WILLARn M. nAnWoon, or Los ANGELES, oALrroRNIA IRRIGATION GATE;

Application filed April 3, 1929. Serial No. 352,208.

This invention relates to improvements in Virrigation gates. y f.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved irrigation gate or similar valve structure having a body in which there is an opening and a closure for the opening which is adapted to be moved vertically toward or away from the opening and on being moved toward the opening. to have itsmovement arrested after which the closure isjvmoved laterally into a seating lposition over the opening to close it. The improved irrigation gate is characterized by the fact that in moving the closure laterally it is engaged at approximately its center in such a manner that the closure can accommodate itself to its seat. By the improved construction lif there are irregularities on the seat or foreign matter .the closure will accommodate itself thereto '20 and tightly close the opening.

Another object of the invention isto pro` vide an irrigation gate having the above menf tioned characteristics andwhich is provided` `with a construction which willinsure that the closure will be held in yadvance of the positioning' mechanism while the closure is being moved vertically until the closure'approaches that position wherein its vertical .movement is arrested.v In this manner the 3o' closure will always be heldin such relative position with respect to the positioning mechanism that the positioning mechanism can properly move it laterally toward'its seat over the opening in thebody. n Y Another object of the invention is to provide an irrigation movable closure adapted to have its vertical movement arrested adjacent the opening and then moved laterally and whichhas a device for wiping or cleaning oif the seat for the closure, thus assuring that the seat is fairly clean, just prior to the positioning of the closure thereon.

With the foregoing and otherl objects in viewwhichl will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein, Y

gate having a vertically` Fig. 1 isa view in elevation. parts being broken .away illustrating the improved irrigation gate.v

Fig. 2

same. v

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken sub- Y stantially upon the'line 3-3 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated.

Fig. 4is a partiall sectional view illustrat- 1 ing adetail of construction.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designatek similar parts throughout, the improved irrigation gate comprises a body 10 in which there is formed an opening or aperture` 11. This opening is adapted to have water flow therethrough when the gate is open and is shown as being circular in form arranged near thebottom of the body. On the forward side of the opening 11 there is formed an annular flangel2constituting a seat for the closure or disc 13. The disc 13 has an annular groove formed thereon indicated at 14 which contains packing such as hemp packing 15.v Whenthe closure is seated against the seat 12 the packing is compressed against the yseat and serves to prevent leakage. v

On lthe forward side of the body 10 there are vsecured vertical These guide plates serve to guide a vertically movable frame generally designated by the reference character 19. The frame comprises top and bottom members 2O and 21 which are connected at their sides or ends by side members 22 and 23. The side members 22 and 23 have groovesfformed thereon which receive the inwardlyprojecting edges of the guide plates 16 and 17 so that the guide jplates restrict the movement ofthe frame119 to a vertical one. The top and bottom members 2O and 21 are connected adiacent their centersby atubular part 24 which extends upwardly a short distance above the top member 20. YAt-the forward side of the tubular part 24 at its top there is formed a rectangular aperture 25 which will receive a nut 26. A screw 27 is threaded into the nut and extends upwardly. through the top of the body 10 where it is provided with a collar is' a-Vvertical section through the guide plates 16 and 17, these being fastened in place `by bolts 18.

28'having a flange 29. The collar 28 is pinned or otherwise secured to the screw and has its flange confined beneath a bonnet or cap 30 fastened on the top of the body by bolts 31. The screw 27 can be rotated but the collar 28 being fastened beneath the cap 3() prevents its being moved vertically. During rotation of the screw the frame 19 can be raised or lowered with respect to the body, its movement being guided by the guide plates 16 and 17. y Y

The side members 22 and 23 are provided with inwardly extending lugs 32 and 33. These lugs present inclined surfaces which are inclined downwardly and forwardly. On the forward side of the closure 13 there are formed angular brackets 34 and 35 which present inclined surfaces complementary to the inclined surfaces on the lugs 32 and 33. The lugs and angular brackets form Iguides at the sides of the frame which guide the movement of the closure 13 relatively to the frame, causing the closure to have its movement inclined with respect to the frame. On the body 10 rearwardly of the guide plates 16 and 17 there are formed lugs 36 which serve as stops adapted to be engaged by the projections 37 on the sides of the closure, limiting the downward movement of the closure. The tubular part 24 on its rear side is formed with an inclined surface 38 which is adapted to engage a hemispherical projection 39 on the center of the closure 13. Immediately above the inclined surface 38 a vertical slot is formed in the rear wall of the tubular part 24 in which a latch 40 is pivoted upon a pivot pin 41. This latch presents an inclined bottomV surface 42 engageable upon a complementary surface 43 formed on the closure immediately above the hemispherical projection V39. It is so arranged that when the frame is lifted by the screw 27 so that the lower end of the screw is extending downwardly through the tubular part 24 the latch 40 will be engaged by the screw and urged outwardly or rearwardly. However, when the frame is in its lowermost position or is approaching it the latch 40 is no longer engaged by the screw as shown in Fig. 2 in which case the latch can have its inclined surface swing downwardly off of the inclined surface 43, and move forwardly. Y

The bottom member 21 of the frame 19 suspends an angular flange 44 the rear edge of which is so arranged that as the frame moves downwardly with respect to the body kthe edge of the flange will pass over the seat 12. wiping off the seat.

The operation and advantages of the improved irrigation `gate are as follows: As-

suming;r the. frame to be initially in that position shown upon the drawings the improved gate can be opened by rotating the screw. Longitudinal movementv of the screw first lists the frame 19 with respect to the closure,

causing the inclined surface 38 to disengage the projection 39. The angular brackets 34 and 35 will then engage the lugs 32 and 33 on the frame causing the closure to slide downwardly and forwardly with respect to the rising frame and thus be pulled forwardly from the seat 12. This downward and forward movement of the closure with respect to the frame 19 is arrested by the hemispherical projection 39 reaching the bottom of the inclined surface 38. n When so arrested the closure can be lifted by the frame 19 so that the opening or aperture 11 is left completely open and exposed, permitting a full amount of water to flow therethrough. At the same time that the closure 13 is moving downwardly and forwardly with respect to thel rising frame -19 the latch 40 is being moved upwardly with respect to the closure and with respect to the screw 27. Vhen the closure canv no longer move downwardly and forwardly with respect to the frame the inclined surfaces 42 and 43 will be in alignment and the forward edge of the latch will be engaged by the screw 27 swinging the latch rearwardly so that the inclined surfaces 42 and 43 are in abutment or in slightly spaced opposed relationship.

When it is desired to again close the irrigation gate the screw 27 is reverselyrotated, lowering the frame 19. The closure carried by the frame is lowered with it and as the latch 40 has its inclined surface 42 abutting the surface 43 the closure will at all times be kept in advance of the frame so that the hemispherical projection 39 will be at or near the bottom of theinclined surface 38.v 'When the closure 13 approaches the aperture 11 its projections 37 encounter the lugs 36 arresting the downward movement of the closure. A continued downward movement of the frame with respect to the closure causes the latch to disengage the inclined surface 43,V such movement being permitted by virtue ofthe fact that the latch is then below the lower end of the screw. The inclined surface 38then engages the hemispherical projection 39 and causes the closure 13 to be shifted laterally or rearwardly toward the opening 11 so as to seat on the seat 12. The construction of the hemispherical projection 39 and the inclined surface 38 is such that the closure can rock slightly with respect to the frame during this lateral movement. This is especially true by virtue of the fact that the engagement between the frame and the closure is at the center of the closure or approximately so. The rocking movement of the closure with respect to the frame enables the closure to accommodateitself tol the seat 12 while seating so that if there are any irregularities or` if there is any foreign matter on the seatpthe closure will accommodateitself thereto and form a tight oint. It will be noted, however7 that during the lowering of the frame that the rear edge of the angular flange 44 passes aver the seat 12 so that it wipes olf the seat and will shear off any vegetation which may be lying across the seat.

From the above described construction it will be appreciated .that a novel and advantageous irrigation gate is provided which is highly advantageous in that during the lowering of the closure by the frame the closureV is at all times kept in advance of the frame by means of the latch 40. Furthermore, during the lowering the seat is wiped off by the flange 44 and after the closure has its vertical movement arrested it is then moved laterally toward its seat by the frame engaging the closure at its center enabling the closure to rock slightly with respect to the frame and accommodate itself to its seat. A

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as delined by the appended claims.

I claim: f

1. An irrigation gate comprising a body having an opening therein, a frame guided by the body for movement in a vertical plane, a closure for the opening adapted to be moved by the frame, means for arresting the movement of the closure as it approaches the opening, there being inclined guides on the frame arranged adjacent its sides on which the elosure is relatively movable, said frame presenting an inclined surface engageable upon the closure at approximately its center for lat'- erally moving the closure after yits vertical movement has been arrested to cause the closure to close the opening and accommodate itself in seating.

2. An irrigation gate comprising a body having an opening therein, a frame vertically movable upon the body, a rotatable screw mounted on the body and operatively connected to the frame, a closure adapted to be moved vertically by the frame to a point adjacent the opening and then moved laterally into a position closing the opening, a latch movable between the frame and closure and f adapted to be engaged by the screw when the frame is in elevated position, said latch serving to keep the closure in advance of the frame during vertical movements until the closure approaches its seat.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLARD M. HARWOOD. 

